OBJECTIVES: This study developed an information and communication technology (ICT)-based comprehensive health and social-needs assessment (CHSNA) system based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) with the aim of enhancing person-centered community care for community residents and supporting healthcare professionals and social workers who provide healthcare and social services in the community. METHODS: Items related to a CHSNA tool were developed and mapped with ICF codes. Experts validated the CHSNA system design and process using the Delphi method, and a pilot test of the initial version of the system was conducted. RESULTS: The following three steps of CHSNA were embedded in the system, which had a user-friendly screen and images: basic health assessment, life and activity assessment, and in-depth health assessment. The assessment results for the community residents were presented with visualized health profiles, including images, graphs, and an ICF model. CONCLUSIONS: The developed CHSNA system can be used by healthcare professionals, social workers, and community residents to evaluate the reasoning underlying health and social needs, to facilitate the identification of more appropriate healthcare plans, and to guide community residents to receive the best healthcare services. A CHSNA system can improve the implementation of standardized terminology utilizing the ICF and the accuracy of needs assessments of community residents.
Classification ; Community Health Services ; Decision Support Techniques ; Delivery of Health Care ; Methods ; Needs Assessment ; Patient-Centered Care ; Social Work ; Social Workers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Measuring the extent of the collateral blood vessels using computed tomography (CT) angiography source images may promote tissue survival and functional gain in acute ischemic stroke patients who are candidates for endovascular recanalization treatment. METHODS: Of 5,558 acute stroke patients registered in a prospective clinical stroke registry, 104 met the selection criteria of endovascular recanalization treatment for internal cerebral artery or middle cerebral artery main-stem (M1) occlusions and presented for treatment ≤4 hours after the event. Using CT angiography source images, two independent and blinded reviewers measured the extent of collateral circulations at four regions, with good interrater reliability. The functional recovery at 3 months after stroke was used as an outcome variable. RESULTS: Cases with a sufficient collateral circulation at the Sylvian fissure showed significantly increased likelihood of having a modified Rankin Scale score of ≤2 at 3 months after stroke (adjusted odds ratio=3.03, 95% confidence interval=1.19–7.73, p=0.02), but the association became nonsignificant after adding the infarct volume to the model (p=0.65). The association between leptomeningeal convexity collaterals and functional recovery was no longer significant after adjusting for the infarct volume (p=0.28). The natural indirect effect of infarct volume on functional recovery was significant for both the Sylvian fissure (p=0.03) and leptomeningeal convexity (p=0.02) collaterals. CONCLUSIONS: The extent of collateral circulation at the Sylvian fissure was significantly associated with functional recovery, which may be mediated via the volume of the final infarction.
Angiography* ; Blood Vessels ; Cerebral Arteries ; Collateral Circulation ; Humans ; Infarction ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Mortality ; Patient Selection ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke* ; Tissue Survival

Human diphyllobothriasis is a parasitic disease caused by ingestion of larvae (plerocercoids) in raw or undercooked fish and commonly found in temperate areas. Rare cases were reported in tropical or subtropical areas especially in children. The first documented case of pediatric diphyllobothriasis in Taiwan had been reported 11 years ago. Here, we report another 8-year-old girl case who presented with a live noodle-like worm hanging down from her anus, with no other detectable symptoms. We pulled the worm out and found the strobila being 260 cm in length. Examination of gravid proglottids showed that they were wider than their lengths, containing an ovoid cirrus sac in the anterior side and the rosette-shaped uterus. Eggs extracted from the uterus were ovoid and operculated. Diphyllobothrium latum was confirmed by molecular analysis of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. The girl was treated with a single oral dose of praziquantel, and no eggs or proglottids were observed from her stool in the subsequent 3 months. The reemergence of human diphyllobothriasis in non-endemic countries is probably due to prevalent habit of eating imported raw fish from endemic areas. This pediatric case raised our concern that human diphyllobothriasis is likely underestimated because of unremarkable symptoms.
Anal Canal ; Child ; Diphyllobothriasis ; Diphyllobothrium* ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Eating ; Eggs ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; Female ; Humans ; Larva ; Ovum ; Parasitic Diseases ; Praziquantel ; Taiwan* ; Uterus

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to review the evidence comparing the efficacy and safety between L-carnitine and extracorporeal elimination therapy in the management of acute valproic acid L-carnitine vs Extracorporeal Elimination for Acute Valproic acid Intoxication METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, Web of Science, KoreaMed, KMbase, and KISS were searched, using the terms carnitine and valproic acid. All studies, regardless of design, reporting efficacy or safety endpoints were included. Reference citations from identified publications were reviewed. Both English and Korean languages were included. Two authors extracted primary data elements including poisoning severity, presenting features, clinical management, and outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty two articles including 33 cases were identified. Poisoning severity was classified as 3 mild, 11 moderate, and 19 severe cases. Nine cases were treated with L-carnitine while 24 cases received extracorporeal therapy without L-carnitine. All patients except one expired patient treated with hemodialysis recovered clinically and no adverse effects were noted. A case report comparing two patients who ingested the same amount of valproic acid showed increased ICU stay (3 vs 11 days) in case of delayed extracorporeal therapy. CONCLUSION: Published evidence comparing L-carnitine with extracorporeal therapy is limited. Based on the available evidence, it is reasonable to consider L-carnitine for patients with acute valproic acid overdose. In case of severe poisoning, extracorporeal therapy would also be considered in the early phase of treatment.
Carnitine* ; Humans ; Poisoning ; Renal Dialysis ; Valproic Acid*

As a critical tumor suppressor, p53 is inactivated in human cancer cells by somatic gene mutation or disruption of pathways required for its activation. Therefore, it is critical to elucidate the mechanism underlying p53 activation after genotoxic and cellular stresses. Accumulating evidence has indicated the importance of posttranslational modifications such as acetylation in regulating p53 stability and activity. However, the physiological roles of the eight identified acetylation events in regulating p53 responses remain to be fully understood. By employing homologous recombination, we introduced various combinations of missense mutations (lysine to arginine) into eight acetylation sites of the endogenous p53 gene in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). By determining the p53 responses to DNA damage in the p53 knock-in mutant hESCs and their derivatives, we demonstrate physiological importance of the acetylation events within the core domain (K120 and K164) and at the C-terminus (K370/372/373/381/382/386) in regulating human p53 responses to DNA damage.
Acetylation ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA Damage ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; physiology ; Fibroblasts ; physiology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Gene Knock-In Techniques ; Humans ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Protein Stability ; Transcription, Genetic ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; physiology

PURPOSE: Breast reconstruction in patients who have undergone a mastectomy is performed less frequently in Korea than in Western countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychosocial problems related to a mastectomy and awareness of reconstruction after a mastectomy in breast cancer survivors. METHODS: From March to April 2010, 252 patients who underwent a mastectomy were recruited for this survey. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics of patients, psychosocial problems related to mastectomy, and reasons not to receive breast reconstruction. RESULTS: Patients had difficulty going to a public bath (70.3%) or going to a swimming pool or the beach (74.6%). More than half of patients answered that their physical activity had decreased due to persistent shoulder or arm pain after the mastectomy. The most common psychological problem that patients experienced was distress over the loss of charm as a woman (66.8%), followed by considering themselves disabled (62.0%), and worries about recurrence (59.4%). The most common reason not to receive a breast reconstruction was the high cost of the operation (59.4%), followed by anxiety about complications (46.7%). Only 16.2% of patients reported that they did not receive enough information about reconstruction from their doctor. Of 229 patients, 43.7% would consider undergoing breast reconstruction in the future. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer survivors who underwent a mastectomy suffered from various psychosocial problems, and high cost was a major reason for not undergoing breast reconstruction. Broader health insurance coverage should be provided for breast reconstruction in breast cancer survivors.
Female ; Humans ; Breast Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine whether certain biomaterials have the potential to support cell attachment. After seeding bone marrow stromal cells onto the biomaterials, we investigated their responses to each material in vitro. METHODS: Rat bone marrow derived stromal cells were used. The biomaterials were deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM), DBBM coated with fibronectin (FN), synthetic hydroxyapatite (HA), HA coated with FN, HA coated with beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP), and pure beta-TCP. With confocal laser scanning microscopy, actin filaments and vinculin were observed after 6, 12, and 24 hours of cell seeding. The morphological features of cells on each biomaterial were observed using scanning electron microscopy at day 1 and 7. RESULTS: The cells on HA/FN and HA spread widely and showed better defined actin cytoskeletons than those on the other biomaterials. At the initial phase, FN seemed to have a favorable effect on cell adhesion. In DBBM, very few cells adhered to the surface. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, we can conclude that in contrast with DBBM not supporting cell attachment, HA provided a more favorable environment with respect to cell attachment.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Substitutes ; Calcium Phosphates ; Cell Adhesion ; Durapatite ; Fibronectins ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Rats ; Seeds ; Stem Cells ; Stromal Cells ; Transplants ; Vinculin

PURPOSE: The healing process following tooth extraction apparently results in a pronounced resorption of the alveolar ridge. As a result, the width of alveolar ridge is reduced and severe alveolar bone resorption occurs. The purpose of this experiment is to clinically and histologically evaluate the results of using horse-derived bone mineral for socket preservation. METHODS: The study comprised 4 patients who were scheduled for extraction as a consequence of severe chronic periodontitis or apical lesion. The extraction was followed by socket preservation using horse-derived bone minerals. Clinical parameters included buccal-palatal width, mid-buccal crest height, and mid-palatal crest height. A histologic examination was conducted. RESULTS: The surgical sites healed uneventfully. The mean ridge width was 7.75 +/- 2.75 mm at baseline and 7.00 +/- 2.45 mm at 6 months. The ridge width exhibited no significant difference between baseline and 6 months. The mean buccal crest height at baseline was 7.5 +/- 5.20 mm, and at 6 months, 3.50 +/- 0.58 mm. The mean palatal crest height at baseline was 7.75 +/- 3.10 mm, and at 6 months, 5.00 +/- 0.82 mm. There were no significant differences between baseline and 6 months regarding buccal and palatal crest heights. The amount of newly formed bone was 9.88 +/- 2.90%, the amount of graft particles was 42.62 +/- 6.57%, and the amount of soft tissue was 47.50 +/- 9.28%. CONCLUSIONS: Socket preservation using horse-derived bone mineral can effectively maintain ridge dimensions following tooth extraction and can promote new bone formation through osteoconductive activities.
Alveolar Process ; Bone Resorption ; Bone Substitutes ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Humans ; Minerals ; Osteogenesis ; Tooth Extraction ; Tooth Socket ; Transplants

Meralgia paresthetica is commonly caused by a focal entrapment of lateral femoral cuteneous nerve while it passes the inguinal ligament. Common symptoms are paresthesias and numbness of the upper lateral thigh area. Pregnancy, tight cloths, obesity, position of surgery and the tumor in the retroperitoneal space could be causes of meralgia paresthetica. A 29-year-old female patient underwent an emergency cesarean section under spinal anesthesia without any problems. But two days after surgery, the patient complained numbness and paresthesia in anterolateral thigh area. Various neurological examinations and L-spine MRI images were all normal, but the symptoms persisted for a few days. Then, electromyogram and nerve conduction velocity test of the trunk and both legs were performed. Test results showed left lateral cutaneous nerve injury and meralgia paresthetica was diagnosed. Conservative treatment was implemented and the patient was free of symptoms after 1 month follow-up.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Cesarean Section ; Emergencies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Leg ; Ligaments ; Nerve Compression Syndromes ; Neural Conduction ; Neurologic Examination ; Obesity ; Paresthesia ; Pregnancy ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Thigh

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the bone regeneration effects of cortical, cancellous, and cortico-cancellous human bone substitutes on calvarial defects of rabbits. METHODS: Four 8-mm diameter calvarial defects were created in each of nine New Zealand white rabbits. Freeze-dried cortical bone, freeze-dried cortico-cancellous bone, and demineralized bone matrix with freeze-dried cancellous bone were inserted into the defects, while the non-grafted defect was regarded as the control. After 4, 8, and 12 weeks of healing, the experimental animals were euthanized for specimen preparation. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was performed to calculate the percent bone volume. After histological evaluation, histomorphometric analysis was performed to quantify new bone formation. RESULTS: In micro-CT evaluation, freeze-dried cortico-cancellous human bone showed the highest percent bone volume value among the experimental groups at week 4. At week 8 and week 12, freeze-dried cortical human bone showed the highest percent bone volume value among the experimental groups. In histologic evaluation, at week 4, freeze-dried cortico-cancellous human bone showed more prominent osteoid tissue than any other group. New bone formation was increased in all of the experimental groups at week 8 and 12. Histomorphometric data showed that freeze-dried cortico-cancellous human bone showed a significantly higher new bone formation percentile value than any other experimental group at week 4. At week 8, freeze-dried cortical human bone showed the highest value, of which a significant difference existed between freeze-dried cortical human bone and demineralized bone matrix with freeze-dried cancellous human bone. At week 12, there were no significant differences among the experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS: Freeze-dried cortico-cancellous human bone showed swift new bone formation at the 4-week healing phase, whereas there was less difference in new bone formation among the experimental groups in the following healing phases.
Animals ; Bone Matrix ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Substitutes ; Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Rabbits ; X-Ray Microtomography